JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE AND VETERINARY MEDICINE
Integrity Research Journals
ISSN: 2536-7099
Model: Open Access/Peer Reviewed
DOI: 10.31248/JASVM
Start Year: 2016
Email: jasvm@integrityresjournals.org
Gas chromatographic–mass spectroscopic (Gc-Ms) quantification of volatile constituents of ethanol extract of Andrographis paniculata collected from Nekede, Imo State, Nigeria
https://doi.org/10.31248/JASVM2026.661 | Article Number: E7C5146B2 | Vol.11 (4) - August 2026
Received Date: 02 May 2026 | Accepted Date: 27 June 2026 | Published Date: 08 August 2026
Authors: Iwalola M. K. , Ihejieto H. A. , Nkwocha G. A.* , Ekenyem P. C. , Anukam, K.U. and Edih, M.C.
Keywords: medicinal plants, Andrographis paniculata, phytochemical profiling, terpenoids, volatile compounds.
Andrographis paniculata is a globally recognised medicinal plant widely used for its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and metabolic regulatory properties. While existing pharmacological literature has largely focused on its polar diterpenoid lactones, such as andrographolide, there remains a critical research gap concerning the plant’s volatile and semi-volatile constituents. This study addresses this gap by providing a comprehensive GC–MS-based phytochemical profile of an ethanolic extract of A. paniculata collected from Nekede, Imo State, Nigeria. Environmental factors such as soil nutrient availability and local weather patterns can alter the plant’s secondary metabolic pathways, resulting in distinct regional chemotypes. GC–MS analysis detected 86 bioactive components, resolved into 32 chromatographic peaks. Aromandendrene (6.12%) was identified as the dominant sesquiterpene marker for this Nigerian variety. This finding differs from studies of Asian origins, which typically reported 60–65 bioactive components. Other major bioactive markers included linalool (2.45%), γ-elemene (2.23%), and γ-terpinene (1.34%). The identification of these volatile terpenoids provides essential baseline fingerprint data for the quality control and standardisation of A. paniculata within the Nigerian ecosystem. Furthermore, these constituents exhibit potent antioxidant, antimicrobial, and immunomodulatory activities, highlighting the plant’s potential as a phytogenic alternative to synthetic antibiotics in livestock and poultry production. This study concludes that the therapeutic value of A. paniculata arises from a multi-component synergy between its well-known lactones and these newly characterised volatile markers.
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